Bringing Home Your First Horse
First – Is your property zoned for horses? This is a crucial and often overlooked piece of information. If you are unsure, you can find out by checking with your local zoning commission. You had better find out before an unhappy neighbor reports you and you have to pay zoning fines and move your horse to a boarding facility.
Second – Do you really have enough room? Horses need at least an acre each just to stretch their legs, and in many areas, an acre won’t grow nearly enough grass for the horse. If you have a small piece of property (2 or fewer acres), be aware that horses will “ugly up” your piece of paradise. A horse will eat grassy areas down to the dirt and then dig a hole just to roll around in. They will poop in their favorite places and then avoid that area like the plague, allowing the grass and weeds to grow sky high will the rest of the land is stripped of all vegetation. You will need to carefully maintain the pasture area to keep the land looking nice. (More on how to do that later.) Horses are less destructive to larger areas of land, but will still wear down certain spots, like the area by the gate and water trough.
Third- Is the area safe? Inspect the ground for holes as you do not want your horse to injure a leg while playing. Also be sure to remove any trash on the property. Imagine what a curious toddler can do when unsupervised and multiply by 100.
Fourth- Is your area properly fenced? A large horse can weigh over 1000 lbs and is quick to get into things they shouldn’t (Again – imagine a 1/2 ton toddler). They must have a secure area or before you know it, you will be getting a call from a neighbor asking if that is your horse running through their garden and heading toward the highway. An ideal fence is a 3 or 4 board wood or vinyl fence. Board fencing can warp and must be watched for loose or warped boards. Some horses will lean or chew on a fence. This can be prevented by running an electric wire along the top board. If a wood or vinyl fence is not an option, consider a wire fence combined with hotwire. Do not use barbed wire! Barbed wire is designed for cattle, not horses. A cow will run into a barbed wire fence and not panic. A horse will feel the pain from the barbs and thrash about until he has at best nasty cuts, or at worst a severed tendon.
Fifth – Is there adequate shelter for the horse? A horse needs some sort of shelter from wind, rain, and sun. Trees are helpful, but nothing really replaces a shed or a stall. Your structure can be as simple as a tall freestanding roof, or as complex as an enclosed barn with a tack room. You will have to decide what your budget can accomodate. Remember to check your deed restrictions for the type of structure you can build, and keep in mind that permanent structures can be taxed.
Now you have a safe fenced area with a shelter and are ready for your horse. But is it okay to get just one? On occasion, a single horse will live quietly by itself, but it is not how mother nature intended horses to live. Horses are herd animals and strongly prefer to be in groups of two or more. If your area or budget won’t accomodate two horses, consider a miniature horse or a donkey as a companion. Goats have also been known to make good companions (remember that your fencing will have to be goat proof if you choose this option). Without a companion, a horse is much more likely to look for an escape route.
Okay – the barn is ready, the fence is strong, and the goat is waiting and you are ready for it’s new best friend. Here are few tips on caring for the property after the horse arrives:
1) Care of pasture – Dragging the pasture is a must if your acreage is small. This can be accomplished with a piece of chain link fence weighted with a board and pulled behind a truck or even a riding lawn mower. Breaking up manure piles will shrink the fly and parasite population and keep Manure Mountain from forming. Also, spreading the manure is an excellent way to fertilize your pasture.
2) Speaking of maure – how do you plan to dispose of that which you remove from the horse’s stall? Here’s a scary thought… A horse produces 35-50 lbs of manure a day or approximately 9.1 tons a year. Hmm… no doubt the neighbors will enjoy the smell. If you have room, you can spread the manure over the pasture. If not, check with your local waste management company for removal ideas. Composting is also a good option and will do wonders for your flower beds. Check with your local garden club about giving away or even selling excess compost. Yes, gardeners will pay you for horse manure!
3) Fly control – Where there are horses, flies will follow. Sprays and foggers may help some, as do fly traps. If those don’t do the job, fly predators (small nocturnal flies that feast on stable fly larvae) can be spread monthly to curb the fly population.
There are many excellent books on home horse keeping. Do your research and plan well so that you can experience the wonder of having a horse in your own backyard!
